Apparently the transition from Brookings, South Dakota to Amsterdam is a bit of a culture shock. At least it was for Adam Vinatieri.
In an ESPN oral history commemorating the 10th anniversary of the end of NFL Europe, the former Patriots kicker recalled his time in the now-defunct overseas league. After finishing his college career at South Dakota State, the Coyote State native began his remarkable football career with the Amsterdam Admirals for a single season.
(According to a 2016 ESPN article, it was during his time with the Admirals that Vinatieri impressed an former staffmate of Bill Parcells, who convinced the then-Patriots head coach to give the kicker a tryout.